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Table Top Crafting
So your interested in playing Mordheim City of the Damned table top game. You are probably wondering how much time, money and effort will go into it and if its worth it. First of all, make sure you print out the original Table Top Rules and show some of your friends how different the warbands will play and see if they are interested. Make up some warbands and show them ones they may be interested in. You can't play the table top yourself so it is imperative that you recruit at least a promise of a game before you start crafting. Below will give you the maximum returns with the least effort and cost. Table Top Table top means, well, a table top suitable for the playing field. Above and beyond any ordinary table top, it is best to have a 4 foot by 4 foot (4x4) table top for maximum game strategy design. It is also good to keep in mind that multiplayer games need at least a 5x4 and officially a 6x4. If you have a table that is large enough, it is only required that you define the boundaries with whatever is available. A cheap, long term choice is buying a piece of felt cloth that measures 4x6 feet. The felt can be folded to 4x4 for two player battles and is large enough for 4x6 multiplayer battles. Black is a good choice for Mordheim and dark brown can also be used in other terrain types. If you are lacking in available table space anywhere, a folding card table may be the best way to go. If you can afford it, two folding tables that give the entire top area is a good, long term choice. If you don't have a table large enough (folding or otherwise), the easiest and cheapest way to get an adequate table top is to buy a piece of plywood and have it cut to 4x4. This usually means buying a 8x4 and having it cut in the store. The plywood is placed on a regular table for an instant 4x4 table top. Remember to have some felt for under the board if using a nice table to play on. Portability: If a 4x4 is too large to haul around easy, you can have the store cut two 2x4 foot boards. You can then get some low profile hinges and open the platform on a regular table. Make sure that when applying the hinges that the surface is flat and together so that when it is opened, it doesn't go in an upside down V. It may be prudent to take a few small pieces of lathe to prop the surface after some use. It is best to have as large a surface area as hauling around allows. For example, if you can comfortably haul a 3x4 it would be better than to make two 2x4 foot boards. The reason for this is to allow you to make a 6x4 table top that is stable (see below). In order to make a stable 6x4, it is best to have a large stiff top (such as plywood) to work with (such as a 3x4 or 4x4). You can then make the 6x4 with hardboard. Even though Hardboard is flexible, the stable base will allow you to play comfortably on it. Hardboard is thin enough to allow a low profile joiner to merge two pieces together so you can piece it into two 3x4 or even three 2x4 parts and put them together on play site. Conclusion: For your first table top get a 4x4 plywood board, if hauling is possible. Otherwise get two 2x4 boards and join them together with hinges. With the remainder of your purchase, a 3x4 is preferred when facing limited room. You can worry about the 6x4 later after introducing the game to multiple people. Figures Fortunately, Mordheim doesn't require a ton of figures to start a warband and play. Figure out what warbands you and your friends are wanting to play and make the warband on paper first. Get the figures that represent your warband and maybe a couple more for adding on. You may have to get your friends warbands as well, if you are the one pushing to play the game. Any figures that adequately represent your warband members will do. There is very little official activity, such as tournaments, that would require all figures to represent exactly and to be painted. Just make sure your announcing what each member has and, when possible, try to represent their items to the best of your ability. This may include having loose representations on the base, a loose pistol on the base of your figure for instance. Announcements such as "this is a pistol instead of a rifle" should be adequate and getting things close should be easy enough. There are many games out there that have figures that are cheap and could adequately represent your warband members and their equipment. Keep an eye out for them. If you decide to play with the random encounters, there are a few things that you may want to represent with figures, rather than empty bases (counters). An ogre - same as the Hired Sword A card to represent the rat swarm (80mmx120mm) or just 6 rats - same as Scaven rats A Bloodletter representation - Use a Carnival of Chaos or Possessed figure A generic ghostly figure - also good for the Town Cryer A tree representation - a wood golem works and can be used in other applications Up to 12 skeletons (or zombies) - Same as the Undead Warband A Spawn representation - A Possessed can work from the Possessed Warband Up to 6 dogs - 5 Warhounds from the Witch Hunters Warband should do Pit Fighter - Same as the Pit Fighter Hired Sword Sigmarite Matriarch - Same as the Sisters of Sigmar Warband Up to 3 Flagellants - Same as the Witch Hunters Warband Spider - same as the spider mount (forest goblins) The general theme is to get figures that represent well but have other uses. Don't just run out and buy everything right away, build stuff up and use counters for what you don't have (except your actual warband). Terrain There is no better thing than terrain to run around in, hide behind, hold up in and generally wit your enemy. Using books and miscellaneous objects will get old real fast and good looking terrain keeps the interest up. Fortunately, there are cheap and easy ways to get nice looking terrain. Of course, you can put as much time into crafting as you want but simple techniques can make fantastic and quick terrain. References http://www.brumbaer.de/Wm/Build/index.html http://www.40kforums.com/vb/showthread.php/40142-FREE-printable-buildings-and-stuff